Tag Archives: Networking

Jul 16

Are you a connector? Are there people who you know that you want to ensure are connected with other great people that you know? Of course you do – who does not want to connect people and make magic happen?

But see, the problem happens when you have not truly ensured that the connection of these people even makes sense!

Take the image above for example. Sometimes we just fire off messages without truly think about what we are doing. What you have above is a classic blind unqualified introduction. Consider a few things to avoid:

Permission: Has Scarlet even be asked if their email address can be given out? While this appears to be an innocent introduction, perhaps John is one of those people where once he gets your email address, there is no stopping him from emailing you EVERY DAY! Just ask for permission to make this connection in advance.

Unneeded Services: Does Scarlet really need business consulting services? There is no shortage of people attempting to sell other people stuff every single day! If you are really seeking to do some good for your connections, make sure that you qualify what you are getting them in to in advance.

A Petty But Relevant Note: Scarlet is spelled with one T. If you do make an introductions between connections, make sure that their information is spelled correctly and is accurate. As the connector, it is your role to be accurate, appropriate and respectful of the parties identity, desires and preferences.

Scarlet Says…a human’s most essential commodity is time. We can not buy, steal, earn, hustle or get it back once it is lost. While your burning desire or even life’s work could be connecting people, it is essential that you take into account their needs, their preferences and what is most appropriate. Avoid blindly connecting people without their consent. We could all do without all of the extra emails, distractions and spam messages that come our way every day, taking away the very thing that we could all use more of – time.

Until Next Time,

Scarlet

04

Jul 16

Let me first start by saying, there is nothing wrong with being a network marketer. I don’t want the massive network marketing community to reign down upon us. Ok, – all clear here? Now, let us proceed!

Network marketing or MLM (multi level marketing) certainly has its perks. I’m not here to argue that, but how you go about engaging, communicating with and persuading people to support, join or rally for your cause is exactly what we are here to discuss!

Many of us probably have at least a few friends who are actively involved in network marketing, and many of the top companies are household names that you have probably heard of and maybe even used before. Companies like, Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware, Primerica, Partylite and The Pampered Chef have become well-known organizations that serve an important role in the lives of their marketers, consumers and the overall economy.

The resounding challenge that many people (including me) have faced is the initial engagement of many networking marketers and the often pushy and insensitive manner in which the opportunities are presented. Of course this does not speak for all network marketers, but this topic has been requested to be covered by us on several occasions, so without further delay, let us explore a few recommendations when attempting to engage someone in a networking marketing opportunity:

Be Up Front – There have been instances where network marketing opportunities have been disguised as an invitation to a party, a bbq or a private dinner. Now, imagine being invited to a nice, exclusive dinner party and you get there with your dinner party appropriate cute outfit and you sit down, and someone is passing out pocket folders and cueing up a PowerPoint presentation. There are only two words for this scenario – Not Cool!

Be Respectful About the Follow Up – So, perhaps you get pitched an awesome opportunity that you are truly considering, but you get asked about 20 times in a 24- hour period if you have made a decision. I don’t know about you, but there are quite a few decisions, obligations and commitments that I am required to fulfill within a 24-hour period, and most of them are things that I have been thinking about, working on or setting up for quite some time. Let us keep in mind that while the opportunity may indeed be a good one, give the person an opportunity to truly think through what you are laying down.

Avoid Being A Dream Crusher – Take a moment and think about your ultimate dream job. Whatever it is – you have like been thinking about and/or pursuing it for a long time, maybe even since you were a child. So, for a new opportunity to come in and completely annihilate something that I have been pursuing or daydreaming about for forever is highly unlikely. Is it possible, yes… but very highly unlikely. The bottom line here is, avoid making people feel like if they do not take your opportunity RIGHT NOW, their lives will be ruined and crushed. Statements like, “you’d be crazy to not jump on this” or “if I were you, I’d prioritize this over everything else”, or even, “how much money would you make doing that, when you can do this for a lot less time and effort”. The truth is, money is not everyone’s main motivation, so that third quote could completely turn someone off.

Scarlet Says…focus on the relationship. No one wants to feel taken advantage of or sold without their basic humanity under consideration. While we highly encourage you to aggressively pursue whatever it is in life that makes you happy, brings you joy or makes you fill the most fulfilled, BUT not at the expense or the blatant disregard of everyone else. If you are pursuing your definition of success, you will likely need people. Be mindful how you treat, engage and expect people to support or follow you, because to get to your dreams, you just might need them more than they need you.

May 16

Just about a week ago, my friend Justin Kimpson extended an invitation to attend the Ford Freedom Award event at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. I was already scheduled to be in town teaching dining etiquette for Deloitte, so the timing could not have been better. Now, we have been friends for quite some time, so there was nothing awkward, weird or out-of-place about going as his “fake date” for the evening; I was actually very much look forward to it.

Since we’re both native Detroiters, went to high school together and still work together in different capacities, we have a ton of mutual friends and colleagues, but since I travel quite a bit and formally live in Washington, DC now, Justin knows way more people than I do. There were several instances where Justin formally introduced me to people who I did not know, which was great. Now, I have no problem with working a crowd, introducing myself and joining in on conversations, but I must say, it is nice to be naturally pulled in and introduced.

I did, however, notice something very interesting that was occurring – lots of people were not introducing their dates, or were doing so as an afterthought. Now, it is understood that perhaps the lack of introductions were intentional for whatever reason, but if you are inviting someone as a date to an event (either in a romantic capacity or as a friend), it is your responsibility to engage them, at least during introductions. It is also wise to give some thought to the type of event that you are going to, and the type of person that your date is. In advance of extending an invitation, ask yourself:

Do I even have a +1 to extend?

What are my obligations at this event and will I have the time to entertain a guest?

What type of event is this and would my date be comfortable?

Have I given my date the heads up about what to expect, including attire expectations and any of my obligations that may leave them standing alone for a while?

Scarlet Says…events can surely be fun, and bringing a guest can take the fun up a notch, but without giving some thought to who you’re bringing, if they will enjoy and be comfortable there, and if you are comfortable enough to introduce them to others, you could be setting yourself up for a bad situation and a lousy night out. So, extend your +1 to events with care!

Jul 15

Think about your friends who have children. How do your conversations typically go?

This weekend while visiting home (Detroit), I was so elated to catch up with quite a few of my friends, many of whom have or are expecting children. The conversations with my friends with children or a spouse always started out with the normal pleasantries, including the “how are you’s” and “how’s the job”, etc. In almost every case, the next few questions (for those that have kids) b-lined right for their family. Because I genuinely wanted to know how their children and partners were doing, I innocently asked, “so, how are the little ones” or “how is your other half”. In almost every case, they said “fine, they’re all doing fine” and were ready to move on to another subject. Now, I’ve encountered some unfortunate responses in the past when I’ve asked about the family, so I tread lightly when asking these days. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than learning about a recent divorce or a child who is terminally ill, while innocently asking, so “how’s your family”, but it happens and when it does you sympathetically deal with it.

The one thing that I picked up on this past weekend is a simple concept that most parents will likely appreciate and it is this…while people might have children or a spouse, they are more than just a parent or a spouse. So, let’s just be honest here. You do sometimes run across that (maybe new) parent that ONLY talks about their children and acts as if they did not exist before their children or spouse came along, and for those people carry on. But while my friends who are parents and have partners are great in both of those roles, the reality is that most of them want to be and are more than that. Being a parent or a spouse/partner is fine and awesome, but there are so many other roles that a person is, will be or wants to be and that too should be considered and respected.

Scarlet Says…It is perfectly fine and courteous to ask about your friends’ family when you see them. But, it’s OK as well to continue the conversation and ask about them. How are they doing? What’s new with them? What goals do they have? Allow your friends to be more than just one thing, if they want to be. Life can be much too short to do, experience, be or strive for just one or two things and while having a family and a spouse can be magical, so can all the other things that are possible as well.